Liberia's top female politician took a strong early lead Wednesday in a presidential runoff as her millionaire soccer star opponent charged the vote was fraudulent, clouding elections that had raised hopes for peace in the war-ravaged country. Harvard-educated Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had 56.4 percent of Tuesday's vote with results in from 59 percent of polling stations across the country, the head of the National Election Commission said.
George Weah had 43.6 percent. Weah, at a news conference held Wednesday as election commission chairwoman Frances Johnson-Morris was speaking to reporters elsewhere in the capital, charged poll workers had plans to stuff ballot boxes in Johnson-Sirleaf's favor. His allegations came despite U.N. assurances that the vote was clean. Initial results were being reported as they came in, often from remote areas. It could take up to two weeks for the final outcome to be known. |